Feeler gauge



Dec. 22, 1931. E. LE BLOND 1,837,556

FEELER GAUGE Filed Aug. 21, 1928 I12 yen for:

fll'torneys.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES EMIL LE BLOND', or snossnrornrnrnnx, MICHIGAN FEELER GAiJ'GE Application filed August 21, 1928. Serial 1T0. 301,112.

This invention relates to gauges and more particularly to an improved feeler gauge device.

WVhile gauging devices of the type described herein are capable of a wide variety of applications, one of their chief uses 1s 1n the production of internal combusion engines. One of the uses especially contemplated is for adjusting valve clearance in motors of the L-head type. In the operation of these motors it is important that there be suflicient clearance between the valve stem and the valve tappet when the valve is seated to allow for the expansion ofthe metal when heated. This adjustment must be made very accurately since too great clearance would result in loss of power.

In the production of many of the feeler gauge devices which have heretofore been used, a soldering operation is employed to bind the gauges to a holder. It has been found that .the exposure to heat involved in this operation softens the thin metal of the gauges with the objectionable result that they pound out rapidly in use. Where the gauges have been soldered to a handlethe failure of one gauge results in the loss of the entire device. Other types of feeler gauge devices now in use are wasteful of since it is necessary to turn the device end for end to try the go and no go gauges. g

The object ofthis invention is to provide a gauge device having interchangeable gauges, which will be economical to construct and which will not require any operation tending to destroy the hardness of the metal used.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration, other modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.

The invention will best be understood from the following description if read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the device.

material and are crude and slow in operation Fig. 2 is a; plan view showing :the cover plate removed. I I 1 3 is an exploded View showing the tier, cover plate and gauges.

Fig. 4: is a sideview-showing the flange on the holder. v a

Fig. 5 is a sectional view. on the line 55 of Fig.1. .j Q The numeral: 1' denotes a handle of any suitable shape having an enlarged'portion atone end forming a back plate 2 adapted to receive the ends of the gauges 3 and 4, respectively. The back plate 2 as illustrated is roughly diamond shaped and is provided'at its rear end with the flanges 6 which serve to guide and retain the gauges3 and 4 iniplace. The gauges are'thin metal strips. which may be stamped out of any suitable hard sheet metal and vary in thickness according to the use-for. which they are designed; In measuring: valve tappet clearance, the gauges used ordinarily vary in thicknessby' 1-or 2 one thousandths of an inch. j The gauges 3 and 4 are secured in place by means of a cover plate 5 which is designed to fit snugly between the flanges 6 of the back plate 2. Any suitable means maybe pro vided for removably securing the cover :plate toithev back plate. such, for example, as the screw 7 which extends through. an opening therefor in the cover plate and threadedly enagesthe back plate. While the gauges may be given any suitable positionrelative to one another it is preferred to arrange them in forked relation with the secured ends overlapping. This is the position which will naturally be assumed by the gauges when their ends are'cut to abut firmly against the flanges 6 as shown in'the v saving of labor as ,well as of material in securing the gauge members in the handle. Experiment has'shown that the life of applicantsdevice is very much greater than that of gauge devices which have been subjected to the heat necessary to obtain a good bond when the gauge members and handle are soldered l together.

- In the event of one gauge member pounding out or becoming thinner while the other is still in good condition, applicants construction makes it possible'to salvage the device by the substitution of a new gauge member. 7,1 r ,v

When the gauge described above is to be used for measuring the clearance between the valve stem and the valve tappet, the operation skilled which will be well understood to those in the art is as follows:

The clearance between the valve stem and c valve tappet is measured by inserting thered between firstone auge and then the other. The clearance is a justed until the maximum or no go gauge cannot be readily insefle 2, although the ,go' gauge canvbe so insert The predetermined-thickness of the gauges is such that when one gauge will enter the space readily and the other will not, theclearance 1 will be sufiicientto allow forthe expansion of the. metal whenheated without beinggreat enough to cause aloss of power .VVhatI claim as my invention is: 1. device for testing valve tappet clearance in motors comprisingan elongated handlehaving an enlarged portion at one end, an-

gularly disposedflanges along the edges of said-enlarged portion adjacent the handle, aplurality of feeler gauges having an end'cut to 'abut against the respective flanges of said portion, a cover. plate for retaining said gauges in-position, and means for removably securing said plate to said enlarged portion.

'2. In combination, a gauge holder'comprising a back plate having'flang'es so placed that the-gauges may be angularly disposed, a cover plate and clamping means for securing-said cover plate to said back plate, feeler gauges insertablei between said back plate and said cover plate, said gauges being angularly disposed with respect to each other and adapted to abut against the flanges of said back plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EMIL LE BLOND; 

